Encyclocentral.com states agricultural consultants are “consultants who work with farmers to determine productive and profitable competitive farming techniques.” But, EnidNews.com goes further, and reports that ag consultants are all about precision.
Precision farming can probably best sum up what an agriculture consultant tries to teach farmers to do. Agronomy, entomology and plant pathology are all used by consultants to better a farmer’s chances of producing a productive crop. The individual issue for most farmers and the consultants they work with is determining what method the farmers should use that is ideal for their location and weather conditions. Brannan’s experience has shown him this is not an exact science.
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With the recent upturn in commodity prices, now sure seems to be a good time to look at equipment upgrading. That’s evidenced by the kind of story recently published in the Bismarck Tribune. In it one John Deere dealer is quoted.
In Elgin - the other edge of western wheat country - Dakota Farm Equipment manager Russ Rebel said sales are “really good” after several tough years.
He leafs through the neatly stacked paperwork on his desk and figures he’s got more than two dozen tractors on order for delivery from now through July. The phone rings and rings.
“In 30 years with John Deere, I’ve never seen this pace of sales,” he said, using that finger-up gesture to indicate “wait a sec while I take this call.”
He said he’s had situations where he’s selling the fourth trade-in generated from the first sale.
With many new tractors and combines coming with precision equipment standard it looks like we’ll see a real growth in the number of farmers using it and in the amount of precision applications being used.
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India’s national newspaper, The Hindu, has a front page article in their online edition titled “What precision farming is and is not.” It shows how other countries are working to develop the technologies we have here in the United States.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
One other great advantage of the GPS system of farming involves the ability of the farmer to achieve greater efficiency in time control of his farm operations. This is because the GPS system enables him to operate his equipment round the clock irrespective of factors restricting visibility such as fog, darkness, or even showers. The sub-inch accuracy of GPS-based operations provides the farmer maximum efficiency with equipment operations.
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Farmers Guardian of the UK has a series of articles about a Precision Farming Event held last week in England.
According to the event website, they showcase “the best practical solutions available to implement precision farming. A full day technical trade exhibition with working demonstrations and a seminar programme packed with real-time examples of how to get the maximum benefits from precision farming. Its aim is to bring together farmers and the trade under one roof to discuss the best possible solutions for the farm business.”
Here’s an excerpt from Farmers Guardian reporter Mervyn Bailey’s coverage of the show:
The merits of GPS auto-steering are now well known, allowing farmers and contractors to make the most of each pass, saving time and fuel. But it has also helped encourage them to go further down the precision farming line.
A number of manufacturers were saying that, while sales of steering aids remains steady, there is now more interest in variable rate application and automating sprayer boom control.
Manufacturers are also working closer together to record the work carried out in the field and help make use of it in the office.
Outside, tractor manufacturers were showing just how precise their automatic steering systems could be.
(Photo credit - Farmers Guardian)
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One of the Top 10 agricultural innovations showcased at the recent World Ag Expo’s New Product Center was the AutoProbe by AgRobotics.
According to World Ag Expo, the AutoProbe is “the first high speed, on-the-go soil sampler for precision soil sampling. Samples are collected at a precise depth and interval over a section of land. On a 2.5 acre grid, twenty cores are pulled to constitute a sample. This is done at a constant speed of 8mph. The machine is guided and steered with GPS.”
The AgRobotics site features a seven minute video of the AgRobotics AutoProbe™ in action.
AgRobotics is an Arkansas-based company that was founded in 2006 by a third generation farmer and agricultural entrepreneur. According to the website, company founder Jim Burton has over 35 years of day-to-day farming experience and an education in Agricultural Engineering, and has experienced first-hand the advancement of digital technology on an operating farm.
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In a story showing up on North Texas e-News, Randall Reeder, an Ohio State University Extension agricultural engineer, offers some advice for ways that farmers can save money and that includes precision agriculture. Here’s a sample:
• Practice controlled traffic, especially if precision technology is already in place on the farm.
“As RTK (real-time kinetic) auto-steering becomes more affordable, it makes controlled traffic a much easier decision for farmers,” said Reeder. “The accuracy of auto-steering makes it easier for farmers to drive in the same path year after year.”
Controlled traffic saves money on fuel, labor, crop inputs and equipment costs. It can virtually eliminate yield loss from compaction, and makes continuous no-till more economical, said Reeder.
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Farmers near Lubbox, Texas who are interested in learning more about precision farming equipment and software are in luck. The High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal reports The Southwest Farm & Ranch Classic will offer special courses on precision agriculture on Jan. 31, 2008.
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Precision Ag. Courses–Room 107 (just off the south Pedestrian Mall);
–”Putting the Pencil to Precision Ag”–Jay Yates, Extension Risk Management Specialist;
–”Integration of Precision Ag Systems”–Gabe Moudy, South Plains Precision Ag–Plainview, TX (0.5 CEU Gen);
–”Guidance Systems”–Jay Hurst, Hurst Farm Supply–Lorenzo, TX (0.5 CEU Gen);
–”What Precision Ag does for me on my farm”–Glenn & Steven Brosch, Slaton, TX; Eddie Griffis, New Deal, TX (1.0 CEU Gen);
Click here to view the entire article.
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John Deere is one step closer to providing what Design News calls “the driverless dream.” While the operatorless tractor doesn’t exist yet., Design News describes John Deere’s latest innovation in automated steering systems.
That killer app — an automated tractor — is already capable of turning, shifting gears and seeing through darkness and dust. It can follow a crop line with sub-inch precision in moonlight, can make decisions to raise and lower heavy farming implements on its own and can save thousands of hours and countless dollars for farmers.
And it may one day be capable of doing its job without need of an operator…
Deere, which will release its iTEC Pro automated guidance product this spring, has been a leader in development of autonomous technology. But it’s not alone. Case IH and New Holland have teamed with Trimble, an expert in GPS and optics, to develop automated tractor guidance systems, as well.
Click here to view the entire article.
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Missouri farmers are embracing the new age of technology in agriculture. AP reports that precision farming was no sweat for the Show-Me State as farmers attended an ag conference hosted by the University of Missouri extension.
“Farmers are much more technologically savvy than people think,” said John Travlos, a University of Missouri extension agent. “They have to be. Agriculture is big business.”
From longtime computer users to novices looking for tips, farmers from across Missouri gathered Friday at a Lake of the Ozarks resort for the university’s annual farm computer users’ conference.
Topics ranged from basic spreadsheet use for managing finances to implementing “precision agriculture” techniques to maximize crop yields through computer-driven soil testing and fertilizer applications.
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The American Soybean Association and John Deere have been touring the Midwest, offering seminars on precision farming. The first precision ag event was held on January 8th in Wahoo, Nebraska. The High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal reports that two more events are coming up later this month on January 28th in Jonesboro, Arkansas and January 29th in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“This is the winter education series of our ‘Reach for the Stars’ precision ag program,” said ASA President John Hoffman, a soybean producer from Waterloo, Iowa. “These meetings provide a great learning opportunity for anyone who has considered integrating precision ag into their operation or wants to learn about the latest in precision farming technology…”
“Anyone who sees benefit in improving farming efficiency, regardless of farm size or equipment type, will gain valuable information from these sessions. It will also be a great opportunity for growers to see first hand some of the new technology that John Deere has introduced, including iTEC Pro,” adds John Deere AMS Product Manager Kayla Reynolds.
The presidents of the Nebraska, Arkansas and Indiana Soybean Associations, John Deere SMS personnel, precision farm management experts and an ASA executive committee member will faciliate the events.
Participants will have the opportunity to “ride and drive” a John Deere GreenStar 2 System, which includes the AutoTrac Universal Steering kit.
Click here to view the entire article.
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